Though we love a big celebrity wedding (especially the ones that are televised), it's easy to see why a Las Vegas wedding would be appealing to those who know that their big day is going to bring a lot of attention. More private stars have opted to head to Sin City to tie the knot, often without warning anyone ahead of time so they can celebrate without the prying eyes of the paparazzi.
Most recently, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck shocked fans by getting married at The Little White Chapel in Vegas, but they're hardly the first — and they certainly won't be the last. Stars have been doing this for decades, going all the way back to the old Hollywood era. Sometimes they're just being spontaneous, but many times, it's clear that they wanted their nuptials to be as quick and private as possible and Vegas was the best place to accomplish that.
Read on for 15 celebrities who said "I do" in Las Vegas.
Sophie Turner & Joe Jonas
Though they did eventually go on to have a much bigger ceremony in France, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner first made their nuptials official in Las Vegas right after the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. The wedding was supposed to remain a secret, but Diplo ended up live streaming the whole thing — something that Joe later revealed he didn't know about until it had already happened. Oops!
Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck
In July 2022, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck surprised fans by getting married with just their children in attendance at The Little White Chapel in Vegas.
"Stick around long enough and maybe you'll find the best moment of your life in a drive-through in Las Vegas at twelve thirty in the morning in the tunnel of love drive-through, with your kids and the one you'll spend forever with. Love is a great thing, maybe the best of things — and worth waiting for," Jennifer wrote in her newsletter to fans the following day.
Kourtney Kardashian & Travis Barker
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker tied the knot several times, including at their romantic Italian wedding — but first, they had a Vegas wedding that they called "practice" for the real thing.
"Once upon a time in a land far, far away (Las Vegas) at 2 a.m., after an epic night and a little tequila, a queen and her handsome king ventured out to the only open chapel with an Elvis and got married (with no license)," Kourtney wrote in an Instagram post, sharing photos from the ceremony. "Practice makes perfect."
Lily Allen & David Harbour
In September 2020, Stranger Things star David Harbour and British singer Lily Allen made things official in Vegas, with David rather poetically sharing the details on Instagram later.
"In a wedding officiated by the king himself, the people's princess wed her devoted, low born, but kind credit card holder in a beautiful ceremony lit by the ashen skies courtesy of a burning state miles away in the midst of a global pandemic," David wrote.
Britney Spears & Jason Alexander
Going back to 2004, Britney Spears unexpectedly wed friend Jason Alexander in Las Vegas, only to annul the marriage just days later. That wasn't the end of the story, though. Nearly two decades later, Jason would go on to crash Britney's wedding to Sam Asghari in June 2022, which resulted in his arrest.
Demi Moore & Bruce Willis
Though they divorced in 2000, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore got married in Las Vegas, too. They eloped in 1987 after they'd been together for just three months, and later that same year, they had a bigger wedding to celebrate with their friends and family.
Angelina Jolie & Billy Bob Thornton
After having a high-profile relationship that constantly made headlines, Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie got married in Vegas in 2000 after just two months together. The bride wore jeans and a tank top! As we know now, the marriage wasn't meant to last — they'd split up two years later.
Lauren Burnham & Arie Luyendyk
After meeting on The Bachelor, Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham got married in Hawaii while Lauren was expecting their first child, Alessi. Later, they decided to renew their vows in Las Vegas, with their daughter present, at the famous Little White Wedding Chapel.
Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos
More than 25 years ago, Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa surprised fans by eloping in Las Vegas. According to Hello! magazine, on an episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan, Kelly revealed that she was wearing a $199 dress she bought on clearance at Barneys, and get this: She still wears it today as a beach cover-up.
Carmen Electra & Dennis Rodman
In 1998, actress Carmen Electra and basketball star Dennis Rodman got married at the Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas, but their marriage wasn't meant to last. They ended up splitting up and filing for an annulment just nine days later, after having dated for months before they tied the knot.
Cindy Crawford & Richard Gere
In 1991, Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford took a private jet (along with some of their closest friends) to Las Vegas to get married, with Cindy wearing a navy suit for the ceremony. They tied the knot at The Church of the West, but ultimately, they ended up getting divorced four years later.
Erika Koike & Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage and makeup artist Erika Koike unexpectedly got married in Las Vegas in 2019, but their marriage only lasted for four days. Later, Nicolas told The New York Times: "There was a recent breakup. I don't really want to talk about it. I was pretty upset about that and the way things happened."
Pamela Anderson & Rick Salomon
Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon famously wed in 2007 at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, and she managed to fit the wedding in between two of the magic shows she was scheduled to perform that day — pretty impressive! This Vegas marriage didn't last, either — they got an annulment in 2008. Eventually, they would try marriage again years later, but they divorced for good in 2015.
Christina Milian & The-Dream
In 2009, singer and actress Christina Milian and rapper The-Dream eloped in Las Vegas. At the time, Access Hollywood reported that they'd worn their own "nice clothes" for the ceremony, which took place just a couple of months after they announced their engagement. Two years later, in 2011, they got divorced.
Mia Farrow & Frank Sinatra
Here's a major throwback! On July 19, 1966, Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow tied the knot in Las Vegas before celebrating with family and friends at a small, private party held after the ceremony. They then honeymooned in Palm Springs, California, but got divorced just two years later.
